Machine for stretching belting



(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 1. G. F. PAGE.

MACHINE FOR STRETGHING BBLTING.

Patented Nov. 29, 1887.

-N .mi T E (No Model.)

3 sheets-sheet 2. G. F.y PAGE.

MACHINE PORSTRETGHING BBLTING. VNo. 373,847. Patented'Nov, 29, 188,7.

(No Model.) 3 sheensneet a.-

, G. P. PAGE.

MACHINE POR STRETGHING BBLTING.

No. 373,847; Patented Nov. 29, 1887.

" WITNEEEEE- N F'ETKRS. Phmullwgmphur, washingmn. D. C,

4UNITED 'STATES FATENT einen..

GEORGE F. PAGE, OF CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,847, dated November 29, 1887.

Application tiled June 8, 1887. Serial No. 240,669. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may. concern:

Beit known that l, GEORGE F. PAGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Concord, in the county of Merrimac and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain Improvements in Machines for Stretching Leather Belting, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making part of this specication, in which- Figures l and l are plans of a machine for stretching leather belting, constructed in accordance with my invention. Figs. 2 and 2 are side elevations of the same. Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical section on the line x w of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the belttightener used in connection with the take-up roll. Fig. 5 is a side elevation (enlarged) of the tension device by which the belting is kept in contact with the resistance-rolls. Fig. 6 is a detail.

My invention relates to machines for stretching leather belting; and it consists in certain novel combinations of parts and details of construction, as hereinafter set forth and specifically claimed. 4

In the said drawings, Arep resents theframe of the machine, in suitable bearings-in which run the shafts of the different rolls, to be hereinafter described, which act upon the belting in its passage through the machine. ,The finished belting a to be stretched is taken from the coilB, in which form belting is usually rolled up after itis made for convenience in handling, the coil B being supported between standards b b, placed close to the front end of the machine. If preferred, however, the belting may lie loosely on the door instead of being disposed in the form of a coil. The belting a as it enters the machine passes between two rods or bars, c c, and also between suitable gages, d d, placed upon the upper bar c and made laterally adjustablethereon, which gages'keep the belting in its proper position in line with the coil B. Thencethe belting passes through a suitable friction or tension device, which may consist of a pair of rolls held either rigidly or by springs.

In practice I employ a pair of rubber rolls, it', which are adjusted to exert more or less pressure by means of screws e' e, and these rolls, in order to accommodate themselves to different thicknesses in the length of the belting, also act under adjustable springs l0. After passing through the tension device just described. the belting c is brought into contact with one or more resistance rolls or pulleys, f. In practice I prefer to use two, as shown in the drawings. A guide-roll, g, is preferably interposed between lthe tension device and the rst resistance-roll, in order to secure as great a surface-contact as possible of the belting with the said resistance-rolls. The belting passes partially around each of these resistance-rolls ff, which may be adjusted in any'desired positions relative to each other, and the tensionrolls i i may loe adjusted to hold the belting in vcontact with the resistancerolls with more or less force, as desired. A single resistance-roll or more than two may be employed; but I find two such rolls adjusted in the positions shown to answer a good purpose. These resistancerolls act precisely in the same manner as the driven pulley of a machine, or a counter-shaf to which the load is attached.

In order to vary the load or work upon the resistance-rolls, and thereby graduate or control the strain for belting of different thicknesses or widths, I apply any suitable brake mechanism thereto.` In practice I provide the shaft of each resistanceroll f, outside the frame-work, with a smooth-faced pulley, h, over which is drawn a friction-strap, C, at-

tached to a treadle, D, by depressing which y the strap is caused to act as a brake, whereby the load or resistance can be increased or diminished according to the character of the belting being stretched and the amount of strain which it is desired to put upon it. The

belting, after leaving the last resistance-rollf, passes alternately under and over a series of rolls, m, which assist in stretching the belting in a well-known manner, and are of such diameter and so arranged as not to bend the belting at too abrupt an angle, but only in a natural curve, thus avoiding the breaking up 7 or injuring of the belting by bending it too sharply. These rolls of themselves, however, form no part of my invention, and may be omitted, if desired, although I prefer to use them, as they effect a more thorough and permanent stretching of the belting. Each of the IOO rolls m is provided at one end with a llange, n, which lserves to guide one edge of the belting, the opposite edge of which is keptin place by a long guide-bar, G, supported by horizontal transverse rods 12, slidingin suitable bearings in the frame-work A and made adjustable toward and from the side of the same, the rods 12 being held in place when adjusted by screws p. This adjustable guide-bar G is of greater width than the diameter of the rolls m, and is provided with suitable apertures to allow it to slide freely over the said rolls, whereby each roll is provided with a movable or adjustable ilange or guide opposite to its stationary tlange n. From the rolls m the belting is carried partially around one or more large traction or drawing rolls or pulleys, II, which act upon the belting in the same manner as an ordinary driving-pulley in machinery and cause the belting to turn the resistance roll or rolls f as it passes around them; and it will be obvious that as the rotation of the resistancerolls is retarded more or less by the action of their brake mechanism, the belting will be stretched more or less as it is drawn forward by the traction rolls or pulleys II. For convenience I employ three drawing or traction rolls or pulleys, as shown; but a single large one or a series of any suitable number may be used, arranged in any desired manner with respect to each other. I prefer to arrange these pulleys as shown, as by this means I secure a largo friction or traction surface without unnecessarily increasing the length of the machine.

In the drawings the shafts of the tractionrolls are provided, outside the frame-work, with gears I, which mesh with each other, the central gear I being driven by a pinion, q, (shown dotted in Fig. 2%) ou the drivingshaft r, which carries the fast and loose pulleys s t, and in this manner the traction-pulleys are caused to revolve continuously at a uniform rate of speed while the machine is in operation, thus producing a uniform motion of the belting in the operation of stretching and testing; andas these pulleys are set in motion the belting is drawn through the machine, and causes the resistance-rolls to revolve under the control of the friction-brake, a tension being thus put upon the belting, the same as if it were in actual use; and this tension maybe made, if desired, to exceed that to which the belting would ever be subjected when employed in drivingmachinery. After the belting leaves the traction or drawing rolls it is wound upon a take-up roll, u, which also accomplishes anotherpurpose-viz.,that ofkeeping the belting in contact with the traction pulley or pulleys, the same as a belt is kept in contact with a drivingpulley in use. The roll u is revolved to take or wind up the belting just as fast as it is delivered by the traction-rolls by means cfa pulley, o, on its shaft w, which is driven by a crossed belt, a', passing over a pulley, b', on the driving-shaft r or other suitable rotating shaft of the machine,

so that when the traction-pulleys are in mo tion the winding-shaft fw will also be driven; but since the belting moves forward at a uniform rate of speed it will be evident that as the coil upon the take-up roll u is constantly increasing in diameter the speed of the winding-shaft must be constantly diminished; and to accomplish this the belta is allowed to slip with sufiicient freedom to permit the belting to be wound upon the take-up roll with any desired amount of tension, this being acconr plished by means of an idler or belttightener, Il, which may be of any suitable construction to accomplish the desired end, the tension being varied at the will of the operator.

The belttightener L shown in the drawings and which I prefer to use consists of an arm or lever, 24, pivoted at 25 to the frame-work, and carrying a small wheel, 2G, which rests upon the belt a with a pressure due to the weight of the lever 2i, which is sufficient to produce the required degree of friction be tween the belt a' and the pulleys o b to cause the motion of the pulley b to be communicated to the pulley fr. llVhen an additional tension on the belt a is desired,thelevcr 21 is depressed by thc hand more or less and secured by a pin, 27, placed in one of the holes 2S in the framework,-and by raising the lever 24 sufficiently to entirely remove the wheel 26 from contact with the belt a the latter will be left so loose that the pulley o will remain at rest.

In practice I find it desirable to have only sufiicient tension put upon the belting being stretched to wind it into a coil upon the takeup roll u without producing any appreciable amount of strain thereon and to keep it in contact with the traetionrolls with sufficient force to create the necessary friction to enable said traction-rolls to draw the belting forward through the machine.

The take-up roll u is provided with a longitudinal groove, 15, or other device for holding the end of the belt and preventing it from slipping during the winding up ofthe f1rst coil on the said take-up roll.

M is a frame, one end of which is pivoted at d to nprights e, rising from the frame-work, the free end ofthe frame M carrying a guideroll or rider, N, provided with stationary and adjustable flanges g h for guiding the belting at its edges and preventing it from running off to one side, thereby keeping the coil on the take-up roll u even, the guide-roll N resting on the belting at all times and rising with the pivoted frame as the coil of belting increases in diameter.

I do not confine myself to the method shown of operating the takevup roll by means of a belt, a', from the driving-shaft, as it may be operated by friction-pulleys adapted to slip as the size of the coil oi' belting increases, or by an independent machine or other mechanism so connected with the take-up roll as to keep the belting in contact with the traction-rolls and wind it up as fast as it is delivered from the latter. When belting is drawn thron gh a IOO IIO

stretching-machine against resistance applied thereto, and this drawing is effected by winding the belting in a coil upon a shaft or roll with a direct and unyielding pull, the inner coils will be drawn much tighter than the outer ones, which objection is entirely obviated in my improved machine, in which the forward motion of the belting is effected by traction-'rolls and the belting coiled or rolled up with only sufficient tension to cause it to be taken up as fast as it is delivered by said traction-rolls.

By means of my improved machine the belting is thoroughly tested as to workmanship, quality of leather, &c., in the same manner as if in actual-use-a desideratum hitherto unattained-all the stretch usually taken out ofa belt in the early period of its use being removed, whereby it is materially improved on account of its being subjected to a running test, and much trouble and annoyance are thereby saved to the purchaser when the belting is put into actual. use.

After placing the coil or roll of belting in position at the rear end or startingpoint of the machine, the tension or friction rolls are separated by turning out the adjusting-screws, which allow their springs to act. The belting to be stretched is then passed by hand between the tension-rolls and put in position throughout the whole length of the machine, being drawn through by hand, and as it is drawn through it is put over one roll and under the next until it reaches the traction-rolls. Here it is passed `in the same manner under and over therolls in position, as shown, until it is connected with the take-up or winding roll, one end of the belt being simply set into the longitudinal groove of the take-up roll. It is not fastened; but simply slipped into the groove, then as it is wound it does not slip out. After this has been done the upper friction or tension roll at the rear end of the machine is screwed down onto the belting. The iirst end of the belt is not stretched as it is passed this time through the machine, for it is necessary to get it through by hand in position to start the entire machine at once. The friction-rolls, it will be nnderstood,- are not feed-rolls, and do not perform any office except as friction or tension rolls to hold the belt in contact with the resistance-rolls. The belt is ready to start after the first end is drawn through the machine and connected with the winding-roll, as above described. This roll of belting, after being run through once, (in which it is all stretched except so much of the first end as is necessary to pass through the machine to make the connection with the take-up or winding roll before the machine is started,)is then put through the machineagain, the other end to, or commencing the second time at the opposite end of the belting.

What I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure b`y Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of one or more traction or drawing rolls and mechanism for driving the same for producing a forward movement of the belting to be stretched through the machine' by frictional contact with its surface, a device comprising a take-up roll for keeping the belting in contact with the traction roll or rolls, a resistance device consisting of one or more rolls or wheels againstthe surface of which the belting is held, a brake mechanism comprising a belt applied to the resistance roll or rolls for retarding the movement ofthe same, and tension-rolls adapted to hold the belting in contact with the resistance roll or rolls, all operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of one or more traction or drawing rolls and mechanism for driving thesame for carrying the beltingto be stretched through the machine by frictional contact with its surface, a take-up roll adapted to receive and wind up the belting as fast as it is delivered by the traction device and keep it closely in contact with the latter, a resistance device consisting of one or more rolls or wheels against the surface of which the belting is held, a brake mechanism comprising a belt and operatingtreadle for retarding the movement of the resistance roll or rolls, and tension rolls for holding the belting in contactwith the resistance device, substantially as described.

3. The combination of one or more traction or drawing rolls and mechanism for driving the same for carrying the belting to he stretched through the machine by frictional contact with its surface, a device comprising a take-up roll for keeping the belting in contact with the traction roll or rolls, a resistance device `consisting of one or more rolls or wheels against the surface of which the belting is held, a brake applied to the resistance-rolls for retarding the movement of the same, a series of rolls, m,-

arranged between the traction or drawing rolls and the resistance-rolls, and a tension device comprising the rolls t' t', for holding the belting in contact with the resistance-rolls, all operating substantially inthe manner and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with the traction or drawing device, the device for keeping the belting in contact therewith, the rolls m, the resistance device, and its brake mechanism, of atension device made adjustable to hold the belting in contact With the resistance device with more `or less force, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the traction or drawing roll or rolls and a resistance device controlled by a brake mechanism, of a takeup roll, a belt-tightener, and the pulley or pulleys whereby the take-up roll is caused to produce a slight tension von the belting at all times to insure its being wound up as fast as delivered by the traction device, substantially as described. Y

6. The combination, with the traction or drawing roll or rollsand a resistance device IOC IIO

controlled by a brake mechanism, of the take- I belring being Wound up thereon may be vaup roll u, with its shaft w and pulley v, the ried, substantially as described. 1o belt a', passing over said pulley v and the pull Vitness my hand this 2d day of June, A. D. ley b' and adapted to slip ou the said pulley 1887.

or pulleys :is the coil of belting 0u the take-up roll increases in diameter, and a tightening; ln presence of device applied to the belt a', whereby the teny P. E. TESCHEMACHER,

GEORGE I". PAGE.

Sion produced bythe takeup roll u on the l EDWIN F.,EDGETT. 

